February 20, 2026
“Yes, the decision has been made and is awaiting official announcement, and the political will exists within the leadership of both countries. It is only necessary to agree on a specific time for the announcement, although Egypt and Iran are not in a hurry,” Ferdowsipour told Al Jazeera.
“To begin with,” he added, “I would like to emphasize that the roots of relations and shared civilization between Egypt and Iran are much greater than with any other country.”
Ferdowsipour described a three-stage roadmap agreed upon by the two sides and said, “The first step was to remove the existing obstacles, and thank God we have succeeded in removing all obstacles from both sides.”
The second phase focused on building trust across political, economic, security, and tourism files, while the third phase aims to consolidate economic ties through investment, tourism, and intra-regional trade.
More than 15 foreign minister-level meetings have taken place, alongside talks involving health, justice, tourism, and energy officials.
A joint political consultation committee has convened twice, addressing judicial cooperation, prisoner exchanges, memoranda of understanding (MoU), and coordination on regional developments.
On energy, Ferdowsipour said, “Iran is ready to supply Egypt with its petroleum needs, but so far no official Egyptian request has been made.”
He also pointed to past Iranian investments in oil storage in Alexandria, automotive manufacturing, and textiles, noting that reviving them is under review by joint committees.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries have not operated at the full ambassadorial level since 1979.
Egypt has been among the regional states lobbying against a US military strike on Iran in recent weeks, publicly advocating de-escalation and renewed diplomacy amid rising tensions.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate phone calls with senior US and Iranian officials, urging de-escalation and cautioning against further instability, while Cairo’s Foreign Ministry issued statements backing indirect talks between Washington and Tehran as the only viable path forward to spare the region the risks of military escalation.
The Egyptian presidency said it continues to make efforts to encourage both sides to return to the negotiating table to reach a peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue.
“Iran has repeatedly stated at the highest level that it neither seeks tension nor war and will not initiate any war. However, in the event that it is subjected to military aggression, Iran will respond decisively and proportionately in the exercise of its inherent right of self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter of the UN,” said Iranian representative Saeed Iravani.
“In such circumstances, all bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile force in the region would constitute legitimate targets in the context of Iran's defensive response. The US would bear full and direct responsibility for any unpredictable and uncontrolled consequences,” he added, addressing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and President of the UN Security Council James Kariuki.
Iravani also condemned “the repeated and explicit US threats of the use of force, including references to potential military operations launched from Diego Garcia and other regional bases.”
US President Donald Trump said this week that Washington may need to use the Diego Garcia base, a joint US–UK facility, to attack Iran. According to reports in western media, the UK has not signed off on the use of its bases for strikes against the Islamic Republic.
Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran since the start of the year.
Two rounds of indirect negotiations have been held so far, coinciding with a massive US military buildup in the region.
Washington and Tel Aviv are not only demanding the dismantlement of the Iranian nuclear program, but also a severe cap on the missile program and an end to support for the resistance movements across West Asia.
Tehran rejects this and has only signaled willingness to limit or temporarily halt enrichment.
The US president said on Thursday that he would decide on a course of action regarding Iran within the next 10 days.
Later, he told reporters he set a two-week deadline for a deal to be reached.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on 19 February that Trump is considering launching an “initial limited military strike” on Iran “within days,” in an effort to force the Islamic Republic into either agreeing to Washington’s terms or facing an expanded campaign.
“The opening assault, which if authorized could come within days, would target a few military or government sites. If Iran still refused to comply with Trump’s directive to end its nuclear enrichment, the US would respond with a broad campaign … potentially aimed at toppling [the government],” sources said.
After Washington officially joined Israel’s 12-day war on the Islamic Republic last year, striking key nuclear sites, Tehran responded with a ballistic missile attack on the US's Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Iranian officials have said a new war would prompt heavier responses against both Israel and US military assets in the region.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic has weapons that can sink US aircraft carriers “to the bottom of the sea.”
Plans include an ‘initial’ and
‘limited strike,’ which would be followed by a regime-change attempt if Tehran
failed to surrender to US and Israeli demands
US President Donald Trump is considering launching an “initial limited military strike” on Iran “within days,” in an effort to force the Islamic Republic into either agreeing to Washington’s terms or being faced with an expanded campaign, sources told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on 19 February.
“The opening assault, which if authorized could come within days, would target a few military or government sites. If Iran still refused to comply with Trump’s directive to end its nuclear enrichment, the US would respond with a broad campaign … potentially aimed at toppling [the government],” the sources said.
“It couldn’t be determined how seriously Trump is considering the option after weeks of deliberations, though senior aides have repeatedly presented it to him. Discussions of late have focused more on larger-scale campaigns,” the report added.
The idea would be that Tehran agrees to the US terms, “or falls,” the informed sources went on today.
According to the New York Times (NYT), the US strike could come “as soon as this weekend.”
The US president said on Thursday that he would decide what course of action to take regarding Iran within the next 10 days.
Later, he told reporters he set a two-week deadline for a deal to be reached. “We’re going to make a deal or get a deal one way or the other,” Trump said. Washington and Tel Aviv are not only demanding the dismantlement of the nuclear program, but also a severe cap on the missile program and an end to support for the resistance movements across West Asia.
Tehran rejects this and has only signaled willingness to limit or temporarily halt enrichment.
The WSJ report coincides with what is being described as the US military’s largest airpower buildup in the region since the 2003 Iraq invasion.
“The US has continued to move cutting-edge F-35 and F-22 jet fighters toward the [region],” WSJ reported earlier this week, citing an official and flight tracking data.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has already arrived in the region. Washington’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, has also been deployed – carrying fighter jets, as well as electronic warfare and command-and-control aircraft.
Tehran has vowed that it will strike Israel and US military bases across the region if Washington decides to bomb. The Iranian UN mission warned in a letter on Thursday that US bases will be “legitimate targets” if Washington attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic has weapons that can sink US aircraft carriers “to the bottom of the sea.”
The landmark agreement follows
months of high-level talks and a structured roadmap aimed at reviving political
and economic cooperation
On 20 February, Tehran and Cairo
reached an agreement to fully restore diplomatic relations and exchange
ambassadors, with an official announcement expected at an agreed “zero hour”
according to Mojtaba Ferdowsipour, head of the Iranian Interests Section in
Egypt.
“Yes, the decision has been made and is awaiting official announcement, and the political will exists within the leadership of both countries. It is only necessary to agree on a specific time for the announcement, although Egypt and Iran are not in a hurry,” Ferdowsipour told Al Jazeera.
“To begin with,” he added, “I would like to emphasize that the roots of relations and shared civilization between Egypt and Iran are much greater than with any other country.”
Ferdowsipour described a three-stage roadmap agreed upon by the two sides and said, “The first step was to remove the existing obstacles, and thank God we have succeeded in removing all obstacles from both sides.”
The second phase focused on building trust across political, economic, security, and tourism files, while the third phase aims to consolidate economic ties through investment, tourism, and intra-regional trade.
More than 15 foreign minister-level meetings have taken place, alongside talks involving health, justice, tourism, and energy officials.
A joint political consultation committee has convened twice, addressing judicial cooperation, prisoner exchanges, memoranda of understanding (MoU), and coordination on regional developments.
On energy, Ferdowsipour said, “Iran is ready to supply Egypt with its petroleum needs, but so far no official Egyptian request has been made.”
He also pointed to past Iranian investments in oil storage in Alexandria, automotive manufacturing, and textiles, noting that reviving them is under review by joint committees.
Diplomatic relations between the two countries have not operated at the full ambassadorial level since 1979.
Egypt has been among the regional states lobbying against a US military strike on Iran in recent weeks, publicly advocating de-escalation and renewed diplomacy amid rising tensions.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty held separate phone calls with senior US and Iranian officials, urging de-escalation and cautioning against further instability, while Cairo’s Foreign Ministry issued statements backing indirect talks between Washington and Tehran as the only viable path forward to spare the region the risks of military escalation.
The Egyptian presidency said it continues to make efforts to encourage both sides to return to the negotiating table to reach a peaceful settlement of the Iranian nuclear issue.
Western media has said Washington
could begin attacking Iran ‘as soon as the weekend’ if Tehran fails to
surrender to US and Israeli demands
Iran officially warned in a
letter to the UN on 19 February that US military bases across West Asia will
become “legitimate targets” if the Islamic Republic comes under attack by
Washington.“Iran has repeatedly stated at the highest level that it neither seeks tension nor war and will not initiate any war. However, in the event that it is subjected to military aggression, Iran will respond decisively and proportionately in the exercise of its inherent right of self-defense under Article 51 of the Charter of the UN,” said Iranian representative Saeed Iravani.
“In such circumstances, all bases, facilities, and assets of the hostile force in the region would constitute legitimate targets in the context of Iran's defensive response. The US would bear full and direct responsibility for any unpredictable and uncontrolled consequences,” he added, addressing UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres and President of the UN Security Council James Kariuki.
Iravani also condemned “the repeated and explicit US threats of the use of force, including references to potential military operations launched from Diego Garcia and other regional bases.”
US President Donald Trump said this week that Washington may need to use the Diego Garcia base, a joint US–UK facility, to attack Iran. According to reports in western media, the UK has not signed off on the use of its bases for strikes against the Islamic Republic.
Trump has repeatedly threatened Iran since the start of the year.
Two rounds of indirect negotiations have been held so far, coinciding with a massive US military buildup in the region.
Washington and Tel Aviv are not only demanding the dismantlement of the Iranian nuclear program, but also a severe cap on the missile program and an end to support for the resistance movements across West Asia.
Tehran rejects this and has only signaled willingness to limit or temporarily halt enrichment.
The US president said on Thursday that he would decide on a course of action regarding Iran within the next 10 days.
Later, he told reporters he set a two-week deadline for a deal to be reached.
The Wall Street Journal (WSJ) reported on 19 February that Trump is considering launching an “initial limited military strike” on Iran “within days,” in an effort to force the Islamic Republic into either agreeing to Washington’s terms or facing an expanded campaign.
“The opening assault, which if authorized could come within days, would target a few military or government sites. If Iran still refused to comply with Trump’s directive to end its nuclear enrichment, the US would respond with a broad campaign … potentially aimed at toppling [the government],” sources said.
After Washington officially joined Israel’s 12-day war on the Islamic Republic last year, striking key nuclear sites, Tehran responded with a ballistic missile attack on the US's Al-Udeid Air Base in Qatar.
Iranian officials have said a new war would prompt heavier responses against both Israel and US military assets in the region.
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic has weapons that can sink US aircraft carriers “to the bottom of the sea.”
US President Donald Trump is considering launching an “initial limited military strike” on Iran “within days,” in an effort to force the Islamic Republic into either agreeing to Washington’s terms or being faced with an expanded campaign, sources told the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) on 19 February.
“The opening assault, which if authorized could come within days, would target a few military or government sites. If Iran still refused to comply with Trump’s directive to end its nuclear enrichment, the US would respond with a broad campaign … potentially aimed at toppling [the government],” the sources said.
“It couldn’t be determined how seriously Trump is considering the option after weeks of deliberations, though senior aides have repeatedly presented it to him. Discussions of late have focused more on larger-scale campaigns,” the report added.
The idea would be that Tehran agrees to the US terms, “or falls,” the informed sources went on today.
According to the New York Times (NYT), the US strike could come “as soon as this weekend.”
The US president said on Thursday that he would decide what course of action to take regarding Iran within the next 10 days.
Later, he told reporters he set a two-week deadline for a deal to be reached. “We’re going to make a deal or get a deal one way or the other,” Trump said. Washington and Tel Aviv are not only demanding the dismantlement of the nuclear program, but also a severe cap on the missile program and an end to support for the resistance movements across West Asia.
Tehran rejects this and has only signaled willingness to limit or temporarily halt enrichment.
The WSJ report coincides with what is being described as the US military’s largest airpower buildup in the region since the 2003 Iraq invasion.
“The US has continued to move cutting-edge F-35 and F-22 jet fighters toward the [region],” WSJ reported earlier this week, citing an official and flight tracking data.
The USS Abraham Lincoln has already arrived in the region. Washington’s largest aircraft carrier, the USS Gerald Ford, has also been deployed – carrying fighter jets, as well as electronic warfare and command-and-control aircraft.
Tehran has vowed that it will strike Israel and US military bases across the region if Washington decides to bomb. The Iranian UN mission warned in a letter on Thursday that US bases will be “legitimate targets” if Washington attacks.
Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei warned on Tuesday that the Islamic Republic has weapons that can sink US aircraft carriers “to the bottom of the sea.”
No comments:
Post a Comment